Walking in the Salzkammergut

Walking in the Salzkammergut, as described in this guidebook is Austria's equivalent of walking in the Lake District, it is composed of three Austrian states: Upper Austria the greater part, Land Salzburg and Styria in western Austria, with southern Germany (Bavaria) as its western boundary. It offers opportunities for every kind of walking from the toughest mountaineering to lakeside strolls. Mainly day walks, includes 6-day ‘Salzkammergut Way’.

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Walk 10: Gosausee

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Distance: 14km (8 miles)
Grade: moderate
Starting point: Gosausee car park and bus terminus. This is reached by Postbus 2570 which links with trains from Bad Ischl and Steeg Gosau stations.
Finishing point: Gosausee car park
Motorists: Gosausee car park, signed from Gosau
Refreshments: Restaurant at the Gosaukammbahn cable-car station; Holzmeisteralm at the head of the Hinterer Gosausee.
Major attractions: The Dachstein views from both lakes; Gosaukammbahn cable-car
Maps: Wanderkarte 20; F&B WK281

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This is one of the most famous and spectacular walks in the Salzkammergut, with breathtaking – and much photographed – views of the Dachstein glacier reflected in the still waters of the two Alpine lakes. For this reason, if no other, save this walk for a fine day when clear skies and sunlight provide the clarity to enjoy this astonishing landscape at its best. Low cloud and rain will obliterate more than you can afford to miss.

From the bus stop or top car park make your way up the steps by the concrete barrier to the lake shore, immediately to enjoy the famous view across the Vorderer Gosausee which, if the weather is clear, is like a great romantic painting with sky, mountain, snow, forest and lake juxtaposed in perfect harmony.

Follow the track around the left side of the lake where a sign will confirm if the Holzmeisteralm – an excellent stop for lunch or light refreshment – is open; important in an otherwise remote setting.

This is easy, lake-shore walking, with spectacular views to enjoy behind to the great rocky ridge of the Gosaukamm, served by the cable-car.

Continue to the head of the lake from where the track enters the forest and begins to climb steadily uphill. After about a kilometre a shallow tarn fills a hollow on the right in a clearing, again a favourite photographers’ spot. You pass a little waterfall on the left, Launigg Wasserfall, the track now climbs steeply and curving round until it crests the summit, and through the trees you glimpse the Hinterer Gosausee.

A viewpoint and bench at the foot of this lake is a place to sit and stare. This is, if anything, even more overpoweringly beautiful than the Vorderer Gosausee, and being away from the noise and clatter of traffic, incredibly still and quiet, the massive summit of the Dachstein, its craggy peaks and vivid white ice-cap a vision into a remote world normally only enjoyed by the climber. The lake is a large mirror, sky, forest, crag and glacier, and shadow captured yet subtly transformed on the surface of its mysterious green-blue water.

Follow the path round the edge of the lake to the Holzmeisteralm where you can sit indoors or out depending on the weather and your mood, to enjoy the perfect setting – and some simple, but excellent, Alpine food and drink.

Paths beyond here are mountain walks or scrambles – superb by any standards but definitely only for the experienced.

Return the same way (the views back down the valley offer ample reward for retraced steps), but when you reach the head of the Vorderer Gosausee turn left along the path around the south bank of the lake, a beautiful, winding way terraced into the hillside which soon emerges at the lakefoot promenade for café, shops and bus terminus or car.